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Staying online and secure - is your data protected?

In 2014 we have technology that allows us to access our emails, data and files at the touch of a button. Our phones and tablets allow us to stay online and accessible for most hours of the day regardless of where we are.Unfortunately, what comes with ease of access is the risk of our information and security becoming compromised.

When installing new software or applications most of us are guilty of signing up without paying attention to those often long and arduous, terms and conditions. But overlooking this mundane activity could mean you lose the rights to your data. This is often the case with terms and conditions for cloud providers, many of which state that the provider becomes the owner of your data once you upload it.

It is important to read through the terms and conditions (or have a lawyer do so) before signing up to a new application, service or software which stores any information or data.

When it comes to your smart phone, tablet or laptop security, there are some simple steps you can take to restrict access:

Put a pin or complex password on your device;

Setup your device to automatically lock after a period of inactivity;

Encrypt your data;

Install antivirus software;

Be careful when allowing third parties access to your information – always read permission requests and terms and conditions;

In this day and age, security and confidentiality are more important than they have ever been. But with some simple tightening of device security and paying attention to those terms and conditions before you click through, you can restrict intruder access and ensure the security of your data.